Grapple.



L. M. LENDERMAN.

GRAPPLB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1911. v 1 ,008,724. Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

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5mm/nto@ LONNIE IVI. LENDERMAN, OF ENSLEY, ALABAMA.

GRAPPLE.

Loosaa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Application filed March 1, 1911, Serial No. 611,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoNNrE M. LENDER- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Ensley, in the county of Jeerson and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grapples,of which the following is a specication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention is an improved grapple and consists in the construction,combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described andclaimed.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved grapple comprisingpivoted jaws, springs to close the jaws against the object to begrappled, means to lock the jaws in opened position, and a trigger todisengage the locking means from the jaws, and cause the jaws to closeagainst the object when the trigger comes in contact with the object tobe grappled, thus closing the jaws automatically on the object to begrappled and enabling it to be readily raised by the grapple.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is partly an elevation and partlya sectional view of a grapple constructed in accordance with myinvention, and showing the jaws closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showingthe jaws open. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the planeindicated by the line 6t-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspectiveview showing the upper end of one of the jaws.

The head 1 of my improved grapple is provided with side plates 2 whichare spaced appropriately apart. A central opening 3 is provided in thehead in which operates the outwardly extending arm 4 of a locking head5, which is substantially triangular in form, and presents twooppositely inclined cam faces 5', which converge downwardly and in theangle between which is a notch 6, the opposite sides of which formshoulders 7. This locking head is movable across the head 1 in thespacebetween the side plates 2. An inverted U-shaped yoke 8 has the ends 9 ofits arms 10 secured to the back of the head 1, at opposite sides thereofby bolts 11, which also secure leaf springs 12 to the head 1. A stop 14is secured to the arm 4, which by engagement with the back of the headlimits the inward movement of the locking head, and a coil spring 15which is arranged on the arm 4,

bears against the said stop and also against l the outer end of the yoke10. An outer yoke y to the outer yoke 16, to operate the grapple.

The jaws 17 of the grapple are pivoted between side plates 2 of the head1, as at 18, at points on opposite sides of the locking head. These jawsare engaged and operated by the springs 12 which serve to close themyagainst the object to be grappled, and the jaws are provided on theirconcave opposing sides with spurs or teeth 19 to engage the object. Eachjaw is provided at its pivotal end with an inclined cam face 20 to bearagainst one of the cam faces 5 of the locking head when the jaws are inclosed position, and each jaw is also provided at its pivotal end with atooth 21 to engage one of the shoulders 7 of the locking head when thejaws are in open position. Each tooth 21 is provided with a centrallylocated notch 22.

A U-shaped clip 23 is bolted to the side plates2 of the head 1, andextends across the space between the said side plates and between thejaws 17. A trigger pin 24 is movable and guided in an opening in thesaid clip. rEhe inner portion 25 of the trigger pin is Hat and therebyadapted to enter the space between the pivotal ends of the jaws, theeXtreme inner end of the trigger pin being reduced to form a stud 26 toenter the notch 6 of the locking head, through the notches 22 of theteeth 21 of the jaws. When the jaws are opened against the tension ofthe springs 12, their teeth 21 pass down the inclined sides 5 of thelocking head and become engaged with the shoulders 7, and the spring 15holds the locking head in engagement with the teeth of the jaws, so thatthe latter are held in open position. The trigger pin is extendedoutwardly from the head 1, being provided with a stop shoulder 27 whichengages the clip 23. When the grapple is lowered on an object to begrappled thereby, and the jaws are disposed at opposite sides of theobject, the trigger pin comes in Contact with the object and is movedupwardly, hence causing its stud 26 by engagement with the bottom of thenotch 6, in the locking head to move the locking head upwardly, againstthe tension of the spring 15, and thereby cause the shoulders of thelocking head to disengage the teeth 21 of sov the jaws, whereupon thesprings 12 act t0 close the jaws against the object and rmly grapple thesame.

Vhile I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I would have it understood that mino-r changes in the form,proportion and construction of the several parts may be made within thescope of my invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim l. In a grapple of the class described, the combination oi'- ahead, jaws pivotally mounted in the. head, and having looking teeth attheir inner ends, springsv to close the jaws, a spring pressed lockinghead movable in the spacebetween the inner ends of the jaws and havingshoulders to engage the teeth of the jaws, and anotch between the saidshoulders, and a trigger pin carried by the first named head, movabletoward and space betweenthe jaws, the inner end of the said trigger pinwhen the same is moved inwardly, engaging the notch of the locking head,and moving the latterso as to cause its shoulders to disengage the teethof the lnamed head, said jaws and said locking head having cc-engagingmeans to cause the locking head to hold the jaws in open position,springs to close the jaws, and a trigger element carried by the iirstnamed head and disposed between the jaws, said trigger element servingbyengagement with an object to be grappled, to move the locking head outof engagement with the jaw, and enable I the springs of thelatter toclose them. from` the locking head and disposed in the f In testimonywhereof I hereunto alX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LONN IE M. LENDERMAN. Witnesses: v

FRED H. BURCHFIELD,

ROBT. M. STOREY.

Copiescf this patent mayvbe obtained for ve centseach, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

